Athletic apparatus and method of use

ABSTRACT

An athletic apparatus has a resilient ball and a pair of elongate weights. The athletic apparatus enables an large number of different exercises and stretching activities because the athletic apparatus can adapt to three different configurations. The resilient ball of the athletic apparatus is functional as a medicine ball when neither of the pair of elongate weights are attached thereto. With one of the pair of elongate weights attached, the athletic apparatus allows various functional exercises such as rowing, shoveling, and hammering, as well as training for golf and tennis. Fully assembled with both of the pair of elongate weights, the athletic apparatus enables another plurality of exercise and stretching exercises.

1. This application for a utility patent is a continuation-in-part of apreviously filed utility patent having the application Ser. No.09/275,720, filed Mar. 24, 1999, and claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/110,826, filed Dec. 2, 1998.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

2. 1. Field of the Invention

3. This invention relates generally to athletic equipment, and moreparticularly to a resilient ball having one or two attachable elongateweights, the attachable elongate weights enabling a plurality ofadditional exercises.

4. 2. Description of Related Art

5. The prior art teaches various devices that are structurally similarto the present invention, but used for different purposes. Irving, U.S.Pat. No. 2,941,219, teaches a swim ball constructed of rubber orsynthetic rubber. The ball includes a pair of cups shaped to receivewooden paddles. While the swim ball appears similar to the presentinvention, the wooden paddles are not equivalent to the elongate weightsof the present invention, and do not allow the proper function of thedevice as an exercise tool.

6. Alonzo, U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,371, teaches a similar flotation ballhaving a cylinder through the center of the ball. The flotation ballincludes a rod that fits through the cylinder, and a pair of paddlesthat removably attach to either end of the rod. Once again, while theflotation ball appears similar, the unitary construction of the rod doesnot allow the attachment or removal of a separate pair of elongateweights, as provided by the present invention.

7. Byrd, U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,447, teaches a jogger's rod having a rigid,hollow body having a pair of detachable plastic handles. While the rodis similar in appearance, the body is rigid rather than resilient andthe handles are lightweight plastic rather than heavy elongate weights.

8. The prior art contains a variety of exercise devices, includingmedicine balls, free-weights, and dumb bells. Simple medicine balls arewell known in the prior art; however, none of these references disclosethe attachment of elongate weights of any sort to these exercisedevices. Gilman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,438, for example, discloses amedicine ball having a rigid core surrounded by an outer layer of foamedpolyurethane. Gilman does not disclose the attachment of elongateweights to the ball, nor does it teach that this would be a desirablefeature.

9. Calvert, U.S. Pat. No. 1,316,683, Metzger, U.S. Pat. No. 560,517, andSchmidt, U.K. No. 2,333, disclose various embodiments of the traditionaldumb bell. These references disclose two handle attachment ports.However, the dumb bells are constructed of steel rather than a resilientmaterial. Furthermore, the handle connections are of entirely differentconstruction. The first handle attachment port is designed tointerconnect two dumb bells to form a traditional dumb bell. The secondhandle attachment port is designed only to facilitate transportation ofthe dumb bell. The references do not disclose a dumb bell with aresilient construction, nor do they disclose the attachment of twoelongate weights to one bell for performing exercises.

10. An exercise bar having a weight mounted in the middle of the bar istaught by Poichek, U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,227, Lee, U.S. Pat. No.4,828,256, and Burzenski, U.S. Pat. No. 3,403,906. The references do notdisclose the use of a resilient ball as the central weight, nor do theyteach the desirability of attaching such a ball. Furthermore, none ofthese references disclose an attachment means that would allow thedevice to be used with only one elongate weight, or with no elongateweights at all.

11. Another example of a novel piece of exercise equipment is disclosedin Fisher, U.S. Pat. No. 259,752, which discloses an exercise club thatenables a variety of novel exercises. This reference discloses theattachment of handles to a centrally located weight device; however, itdoes not disclose the use of a resilient ball as the central weight, nordoes it teach the desirability of making this novel combination.

12. Various additional exercise devices are shown in the prior art.Alastalo, U.S. Pat. No. 1,536,048, discloses a rigid hand bar forphysical training. The hand bar is modular, thereby allowing the user tomodify the bar to his or her particular exercise. Panagos, U.S. Pat. No.5,171,199, discloses interlocking dumb bells. Various additional patentshave been granted for more unusual exercise devices. Donato, U.S. Pat.No. 3,468,534, for example, discloses an exercise bar with revolvablearms; and Dantolan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,118, discloses a reciprocatingweight exercise device.

13. The prior art teaches various swim balls having paddles; the priorart teaches a jogger's rod constructed of rigid and lightweight plastic;the prior art teaches medicine balls; and the prior art teaches exercisebars with the weights mounted on the middle of the bar; and the priorart also teaches an exercise club. However, the prior art does not teachan exercise apparatus having a resilient ball having a pair of elongateweights that can be removably attached to the resilient ball for use invarious exercises and training methods. The present invention fulfillsthese needs and provides further related advantages as described in thefollowing summary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

14. The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction anduse which give rise to the objectives described below.

15. The present invention provides an athletic apparatus having aresilient ball and a pair of attachable elongate weights. The athleticapparatus enables an large number of different exercises and stretchingactivities because the athletic apparatus can adapt to three differentconfigurations. The resilient ball of the athletic apparatus isfunctional as a medicine ball when neither of the pair of elongateweights are attached thereto. With one of the pair of elongate weightsattached, the athletic apparatus allows various functional exercisessuch as rowing, shoveling, and hammering, as well as training for golfand tennis. Fully assembled with both of the pair of elongate weights,the athletic apparatus enables another plurality of exercise andstretching exercises.

16. A primary objective of the present invention is to provide anathletic apparatus having advantages not taught by the prior art.

17. Another objective is to provide an athletic apparatus that enables agreat number of exercises through its capability to quickly and easilyadd or remove one or two attachable elongate weights.

18. A further objective is to provide an athletic apparatus that can beeasily adapted to provide a range of weights for varying degrees ofresistance while performing the various exercises and stretchingactivities.

19. Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following more detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way ofexample, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

20. The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In suchdrawings:

21.FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, an athletic apparatus including a resilient ball anda pair of elongate weights;

22.FIG. 2 is a sectional view thereof taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1,the view illustrating how one of the pair of elongate weights isinserted into or removed from a cylinder within the resilient ball;

23.FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first alternative embodiment of theathletic apparatus in which one of the pair of elongate weights isremoved from the resilient ball and the other includes a tennis rackethandle;

24.FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second alternative embodiment ofthe athletic apparatus in which one of the pair of elongate weights isremoved from the resilient ball and the other includes a golf clubhandle;

25.FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a third alternativeembodiment of the athletic apparatus in which the pair of elongateweights threadedly engage one another within the cylinder of theresilient ball;

26.FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a user practicing a tennis swingusing the first alternative embodiment;

27.FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a user practicing a golf swing usingthe second alternative embodiment;

28.FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the athletic apparatus being used ina reaching pivot-stretch shovel exercise;

29.FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the athletic apparatus being used ina shovel exercise; and

30.FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the athletic apparatus being used ina resistance lateral leg lift exercise.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

31. The above described drawing figures illustrate the invention, anathletic apparatus 10 having a resilient ball 20 and a pair of elongateweights 30 that can be attached to the resilient ball 20. The athleticapparatus 10 enables an large number of different exercises andstretching activities because athletic apparatus 10 can adapt to threedifferent configurations. The resilient ball 20 of athletic apparatus 10is functional as a medicine ball when neither of the pair of elongateweights 30 are attached thereto. With one of the pair of elongateweights 30 attached, the athletic apparatus 10 allows various functionalexercises such as rowing, shoveling, and hammering, as well as trainingfor golf and tennis, as described below. Fully assembled with both ofthe pair of elongate weights 30, the athletic apparatus 10 enablesanother plurality of exercise and stretching exercises, also describedbelow.

32. As shown in FIG. 1, the resilient ball 20 is constructed of a heavyyet pliant material such as rubber, synthetic rubber, or similarrubber-like material. While the resilient ball 20 is referred to as aball, it is possible for the resilient ball 20 to be many shapes andsizes, depending on the needs of the user. In its preferred embodiment,the resilient ball 20 is a molded rubber sphere because this shapeprovides a surface that is comfortable to work with and also facilitatessome of the preferred exercises. Furthermore, the resilient ball 20 isuseful in stretching activities because the smooth shape and resilientfeel of the resilient ball 20 allow for various stretches in which theresilient ball 20 contacts the user's body.

33. The thickness of the resilient ball 20 is modified to control theweight of the resilient ball 20. In lighter embodiments, the resilientball 20 has a thinner skin; and in heavier embodiments, the resilientball 20 has a thicker skin. The weight of the resilient ball 20 can alsobe modified by changing the overall diameter of the resilient ball 20;and the weight can be modified by inserting mass into the interior ofthe molded rubber sphere, as described below. In the preferredembodiment, the resilient ball 20 has a diameter of approximately 9inches. Another alternative embodiment is disclosed in Gilman, U.S. Pat.No. 5,433,438, hereby incorporated by reference in full.

34. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in one embodiment, the resilient ball 20includes an internal chamber 21 that is useful for receiving a liquidsuch as water for modifying the weight of he resilient ball 20. Theinternal chamber 21 is preferably filled with compressed air. Thecompressed air biases the resilient ball 20 outward, making theresilient ball 20 feel springy and firm. To add weight to the resilientball 20, a liquid is poured into the internal chamber 21, therebyincreasing the mass of the resilient ball 20. The resilient ball 20includes a liquid receiving aperture 24 shaped to allow the liquid to bepoured into the internal chamber 21 of the resilient ball 20. In thisembodiment, the athletic apparatus 10 further includes a plug 26 shapedto fit within and engage a perimeter 25 of the liquid receiving aperture24 to seal the internal chamber 21 and prevent the liquid from escapingthe internal chamber 21. Once the resilient ball 20 has been opened, andthe integrity of the internal chamber 21 has been compromised, it isnecessary to pump air back into the internal chamber 21 so retain thepreferred inflated look and feel. For this purpose, the resilient ball20 includes a fluid injection aperture 27 through the resilient ball 20,the fluid injection aperture 27 being sealed with a fluid injectionvalve 28. In use, the user simply uses an air pump, with a standardneedle well known in the art, to inflate the resilient ball 20 in muchthe same manner as an ordinary ball or bicycle tire. The combination ofthe liquid receiving aperture 24, the fluid injection aperture 27, andthe fluid injection valve 28 allows the resilient ball 20 to be adjustedto many different weights while still maintaining an inflated look andfeel of the resilient ball 20.

35. As shown in FIGS. 1-5, each of the pair of elongate weights 30 has alocking end 32 and an extending end 34. The locking end 32 of each ofthe pair of elongate weights 30 is shaped to engage a cylinder 22mounted within the resilient ball 20, as described below. The extendingend 34 of each of the pair of elongate weights 30 includes a cylindricalsidewall having a predetermined length and a constant diameter along theentirety of the predetermined length without protrusions. It is criticalthat the extending end 34 of each of the pair of elongate weights 30 nothave protrusions because a smooth cylindrical profile is required formany of the exercises. Protrusions such as paddle blades interfere withmany exercise routines, some of which are described below. The extendingend 34 of each of the pair of elongate weights 30 is preferably a hollowtube; however, in an alternative embodiment, the extending end 34 issolid.

36. In the preferred embodiment, the extending end 34 of each of thepair of elongate weights 30 is constructed of a material having adensity of equal to or greater than steel. This is an important featurebecause each of the pair of elongate weights 30 must have adequate masswithin their predetermined length and cross sectional diameter tofunction as weights for proper exercise. The extending end 34 of each ofthe pair of elongate weights 30 is preferably covered with a resilientgripping layer 36 made of foam or similar gripping material known in theart.

37. As shown in FIG. 2, the cylinder 22 is fixedly and immobily engagedwithin the resilient ball 20 and extends across a diameter of theresilient ball 20. The cylinder 22 has a first end 22A and a second end22B, the first and second ends 22A and 22B being shaped to receive thelocking end 32 of each of the pair of elongate weights 30. The resilientball 20 is molded, cemented, or otherwise sealed around the cylinder 22to secure the cylinder 22 in place. The cylinder 22 must be strong anddurable enough to hold in place each of the pair of elongate weights 30during use, and the cylinder 22 is preferably made of a rigid materialsuch as steel or hard plastic.

38. The cylinder 22 and the locking end 32 of each of the pair ofelongate weights 30 together include a means for removably attachingeach of the pair of elongate weights 30 within the cylinder, wherebyeach of the pair of elongate weights 30 may be removably joined to theresilient ball 20. As shown in FIGS. 2-5, the means for removablyattaching preferably includes a spring 40 positioned within the lockingend 32 of each of the pair of elongate weights 30. The spring 40includes a locking portion 42 and an unlocking button 44. The spring 40biases the locking portion 42 and the unlocking button 44 through a pairof attachment conduits 34 in the locking end 32 of each of each of thepair of elongate weights 30. A locking slot 23 located in the first andsecond ends 22A and 22B of the cylinder 22 cooperates with the lockingportion 42 to removably lock the locking end 32 within the cylinder 22.As shown in FIG. 2, when the locking portion 42 is properly engagedwithin the locking slot 23, the unlocking button 44 is positionedoutside the cylinder 22. The user can retract the locking portion 42from the locking slot 23 by depressing the unlocking button 44, therebyovercoming the bias of the spring 40 and causing the locking portion 42to be retracted into the locking end 32.

39. The means for removably attaching can be modified by those skilledin the art without avoiding the scope of the present invention. In onealternative embodiment, the locking end 32 of each of the elongateweights 30 threadedly engages the cylinder 22, similar to the engagementmechanism disclosed in Byrd, U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,447, herebyincorporated by reference. In another alternative embodiment, thelocking end 32 of each of the elongate weights 30 frictionally fitsinside the cylinder 22 similar to the engagement mechanism disclosed inIrving, U.S. Pat. No. 2,941,219, hereby incorporated by reference. Theprior art is filled with various locking mechanisms that may be adaptedto this invention, and those skilled in the art can devise many otherembodiments that should be considered equivalent to this invention.

40. In an alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 5, the means forremovably attaching does not directly attach the pair of elongateweights 30 to the resilient ball 20, but attaches the pair of elongateweights 30 to each other through the cylinder of the resilient ball 20.In this embodiment, the pair of elongate weights 30 includes a firstelongate weight 50 and a second elongate weight 60. The first elongateweight 50 has a first locking end 52 and a first extending end 54, thefirst locking end 52 having an externally threaded portion 56. Thesecond elongate weight 60 has a second locking end 62 and a secondextending end 64, the second locking end 62 having an internallythreaded portion 66 shaped to threadedly receive the externally threadedportion 56 of the first locking end 52. The first and second lockingends 52 and 62, together, are approximately the same length of thecylinder 22, such that when the first and second locking ends 52 and 62are threadedly engaged, the first and second locking ends 52 and 62 arepositioned within the cylinder 22 and the first and second extendingends 56 and 66 extend from the first and second ends 22A and 22B of thecylinder 22. In this alternative embodiment, each of the pair ofelongate weights 30 preferably further includes a first flange 58separating the first locking end 52 from the first extending end 56, anda second flange 68 separating the second locking end 62 from the secondextending end 66. The first and second flanges 58 and 68 have a greaterdiameter than the diameter of the first and second ends 22A and 22B ofthe cylinder 22, thereby serving to prevent lateral movement of the pairof elongate weights 30 and to correctly position the pair of elongateweights 30 with respect to the cylinder 22 of the resilient ball 20.While this embodiment does not allow for the attachment of a single oneof the pair of elongate weights 30, it does allow the pair of elongateweights 30 to rotate within the cylinder 22, a feature that can bebeneficial in the performance of certain exercises.

41. In use, the user starts with the resilient ball 20 alone. Theresilient ball 20, alone, is useful for performing exercises typicallyperformed using a medicine ball. The resilient ball 20 can be thrown,tossed from hand to hand for coordination exercises, and otherwise usedas a weight training device. Since the resilient ball 20 is relativelysoft and resilient, it can be used in direct contact with the user'sbody as a motion limitation device and as a stretching tool. Thoseskilled in the art are familiar with how to use the resilient ball 20for these types of exercises.

42. To perform certain additional types of exercises, the user thenattaches one of the pair of elongate weights 30 to the resilient ball20. To accomplish this connection, as shown in FIG. 2, the userdepresses the unlocking button 44 and slides the locking end 32 of oneof the pair of elongate weights 30 into the cylinder 22. The user thenreleases the unlocking button 44, allowing the spring 40 to bias thelocking portion 42 into the locking slot 23 of the cylinder 22. Once oneof the pair of elongate weights 30 has been attached the user canperform the various exercises.

43. As shown in FIG. 9, one example of an exercise that can be performedusing the athletic apparatus 10 in this configuration is the shovelexercise. The shovel exercise includes a set up, a descent, and anascent. The set up includes the following steps: (1) position the feetapproximately a shoulder's width apart; (2) stand up straight; (3) holdthe resilient ball 20 with an underhand grip about a shoulder's widthapart; (4) look head straight ahead, shoulders square, lower backslightly arched, arms and legs slightly flexed. The descent includes thefollowing steps: (1) flex the knees to 120 degrees and flex the hips to160 degrees while keeping the feet flat and slightly externally rotated;(2) flex spine slightly to approximately 160 degrees; (3) at the lowestpart of descent, flex triceps and extend arm outward; (4) flex the trunklaterally and dip the lead shoulder; and (5) maintain the lower backstable and slightly arched, without rounding the upper back forcompensation. The ascent includes the following steps: (1) extend theknees back to 180 degrees and extend the hips to the starting position;(2) extend the lower back to the neutral position, slightly arched; (3)once the knees and the hips are fully extended, flex the arms and extendthem outward; and (4) contract the abdominal muscles in a smooth andcircular motion through the entire range of motion. The purpose of theshovel exercise is to simulate the outdoor movement of shoveling snow.The muscle groups trained include the following: quadriceps, hamstrings,gluteus, erector spanea, latitimus dorsi, abdominal muscles, and biceps.

44. As shown in FIG. 6, the athletic apparatus 10 can also be used totrain for tennis using a first alternative embodiment of the athleticapparatus 10. In the first alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3,only one of the pair of elongate weights 30 is attached to the resilientball 20, and this elongate weight provides a tennis racket handle 70 asan integral part of the extending end of the elongate weight. The tennisracket handle 70 is covered with a resilient gripping layer 36 similarto ordinary tennis rackets known in the prior art. In use, the usergrasps the tennis racket handle 70 of the elongate weight with a hand,or with both hands, and swings the resilient ball 20 and tennis rackethandle 70 in a fashion similar to a tennis racket. The user receives anexcellent workout of exactly the right muscle groups, and the workout isintensified because the athletic apparatus 10 provides greaterresistance than an ordinary tennis racket, which is specificallydesigned to be as light as possible.

45. As shown in FIG. 7, the athletic apparatus 10 can also be used totrain for golf using a second alternative embodiment of the athleticapparatus 10. In the second alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4,only one of the pair of elongate weights 30 is attached to the resilientball 20, and this elongate weight provides a golf club handle 72 as anintegral part of the extending end 34 of the elongate weight. The golfclub handle 72 is covered with a resilient gripping layer 36 similar toordinary golf clubs known in the prior art. In use, the user grasps thegolf club handle 72 of the elongate weight with both hands and swingsthe resilient ball 20 and golf club handle 72 in a fashion similar to agolf club. The user receives an excellent workout of exactly the rightmuscle groups; and, as with the tennis racket, receives the benefit ofthe increased resistance of the athletic apparatus 10.

46. The user can proceed to attach the locking end 32 of the second ofthe pair of elongate weights 30 into the other end of the cylinder,thereby providing the resilient ball 20 with both of the pair ofelongate weights 30, as shown in FIG. 1. In this configuration, theathletic apparatus 10 is useful for a plurality of additional exercises.An exercise bar having the weighted mass mounted on the middle of thebar provides advantages over traditional exercise bars having the massmounted on the ends of the exercise bar. These advantages are discussedin Lee, U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,256, hereby incorporated by reference infull. By providing a round mass on the center of the exercise bar, youenable further training, exercising, and stretching activities because around apparatus 10 can easily roll while in use. This is discussed inmore detail in Burzenski, U.S. Pat. No. 3,403,906, hereby incorporatedby reference in full.

47. As shown in FIG. 8, one example of an exercise that can be performedwhen the athletic apparatus 10 is thus configured is a reachingpivot-stretch the user grasping one of the pair of elongate weights 30with an outstretched hand while resting the other of the pair ofelongate weights 30 on the ground. By stepping forward and back, theuser is able to pivot the athletic apparatus 10 up and down. This notonly exercises the muscles, it also assists in safely and efficientlystretching back, arm and leg muscles. An additional exercise includespush ups using the athletic apparatus 10, the resilient ball 20 actingas a range limiter.

48. As shown in FIG. 10, another example of an exercise that can beperformed when the athletic apparatus 10 is thus configured is aresistance lateral leg lift. To perform the resistance lateral leg lift,the user first grasps one of the pair of elongate weights 30 with a handwhile lying on one side, and resting the other of the pair of elongateweights 30 on an ankle. The user then raises and lowers the resilientball 20 by simultaneously raising and lowering both the arm and the leg.Direct contact between the athletic apparatus 10 and the user is not aproblem because of the relatively soft and resilient nature of theresilient ball 20. This exercise cannot be performed using a traditionalmedicine ball, however, because a medicine ball does not provide thepair of elongate weights 30.

49. Since the user can hold the apparatus 10 by either the resilientball 20 or either of the pair of elongate weights 30, the apparatus 10is well suited for various tossing and throwing exercises that improvestrength, reaction time, and hand-eye coordination. The tossingexercises can be performed alone or between different users. Individualscan practice martial arts moves with the device, and groups can practicemartial arts kicks using the resilient ball 20 as the target. Bymanipulating the resilient ball 20 or one of the elongate weights 30, apersonal trainer can guide the physical training with ease, as well asapply manual resistance to increase the difficulty of the exercisesbeing performed.

50. While the invention has been described with reference to at leastone preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by thoseskilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather,the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction withthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An athletic apparatus comprising: a resilientball; a pair of elongate weights, each of the pair of elongate weightshaving a locking end and an extending end, the extending end of each ofthe pair of elongate weights includes a cylindrical sidewall having apredetermined length and a constant diameter along the entirety of thepredetermined length without protrusions; a cylinder fixedly andimmobily engaged within the resilient ball and extending at leastpartially across a diameter thereof, the cylinder having a first end anda second end, the first and second ends being shaped to receive thelocking end of each of the pair of elongate weights; and a means forremovably attaching each of the pair of elongate weights within thecylinder, whereby each of the pair of elongate weights may be removablyjoined to the resilient ball.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein theextending end of each of the pair of elongate weights is covered with aresilient gripping layer.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein thecylindrical sidewall of the extending end of each of the pair ofelongate weights is constructed of a material having a density of equalto or greater than steel.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 furthercomprising: an internal chamber within the resilient ball; a liquidreceiving aperture through the resilient ball, the liquid receivingaperture being shaped to allow liquid to be poured into the internalchamber of the resilient ball; a plug shaped to fit within and engage aperimeter of the liquid receiving aperture to seal the internal chamber;and a fluid injection aperture through the resilient ball, the fluidinjection aperture being sealed with a fluid injection valve.
 5. Anathletic apparatus comprising: a resilient ball; an elongate weighthaving a locking end and an extending end; a cylinder fixedly andimmobily engaged within the resilient ball and extending at leastpartially across a diameter thereof, the cylinder having a first endshaped to receive the locking end of the elongate weight; a means forremovably attaching the locking end of the elongate weight within thecylinder, whereby the elongate weight may be removably joined to theresilient ball; and a tennis racket handle extending from the extendingend of the elongate weight, the tennis racket handle being covered witha resilient gripping layer.
 6. An athletic apparatus comprising: aresilient ball; an elongate weight having a locking end and an extendingend; a cylinder fixedly and immobily engaged within the resilient balland extending at least partially across a diameter thereof, the cylinderhaving a first end shaped to receive the locking end of the elongateweight; a means for removably attaching the locking end of the elongateweight within the cylinder, whereby the elongate weight may be removablyjoined to the resilient ball; and a golf club handle extending from theextending end of the elongate weight, the golf club handle being coveredwith a resilient gripping layer.
 7. An athletic apparatus comprising: aresilient ball; a cylinder fixedly and immobily engaged within theresilient ball and extending across a diameter thereof, a first elongateweight having a first locking end and a first extending end, the firstlocking end having an externally threaded portion; a second elongateweight having a second locking end and a second extending end, thesecond locking end having an internally threaded portion shaped tothreadedly receive the externally threaded portion of the first lockingend; and the first and second locking ends, together, being ofapproximately the same length of the cylinder, such that when the firstand second locking ends are threadedly engaged within the cylinder, thefirst and second locking ends are positioned within the cylinder and thefirst and second extending ends extend from opposing ends of thecylinder.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising: a first flangeseparating the first locking end from the first extending end; and asecond flange separating the second locking end from the secondextending end, the first and second flanges being larger than aninternal diameter of each of the opposing ends of the cylinder.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 7 further comprising: an internal chamber within theresilient ball; a liquid receiving aperture through the resilient outerskin of the resilient ball, the liquid receiving aperture being shapedto allow liquid to be poured into the internal chamber of the resilientball; a plug shaped to fit within and engage a perimeter of the liquidreceiving aperture to seal the internal chamber; and a fluid injectionaperture through the resilient outer skin of the resilient ball, thefluid injection aperture being sealed with a fluid injection valve. 10.A method for exercising with an athletic apparatus, the methodcomprising the steps of: a) providing a resilient ball having a cylinderfixedly and immobily engaged within the resilient ball and extendingacross a diameter thereof, b) providing a pair of elongate weights, eachof the pair of elongate weights having a locking end and an extendingend, the locking end having a means for removably engaging the cylinder;c) inserting the locking ends of each of the pair of elongate weightsinto either end of the cylinder; d) grasping one of the pair of elongateweights with a hand while lying on one side, and resting the other ofthe pair of elongate weights on an ankle; and e) raising and loweringthe resilient ball by raising and lowering both the arm and the leg. 11.A method for exercising with an athletic apparatus, the methodcomprising the steps of: a) providing a resilient ball having a cylinderfixedly and immobily engaged within the resilient ball and extendingacross a diameter thereof; b) providing a pair of elongate weights, eachof the pair of elongate weights having a locking end and an extendingend, the locking end having a means for removably engaging the cylinder;c) inserting the locking ends of each of the pair of elongate weightsinto either end of the cylinder; d) grasping one of the pair of elongateweights with a hand while resting the other of the pair of elongateweights on the ground; and e) pivoting the resilient ball up and down bystepping forward and back.
 12. A method for exercising with an athleticapparatus, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a resilientball having a cylinder fixedly and immobily engaged within the resilientball and extending across a diameter thereof; b) providing an elongateweight, each of the pair of elongate weights having a locking end and anextending end, the locking end having a means for removably engaging thecylinder, the extending end having a tennis racket handle covered with aresilient gripping layer; c) inserting the locking end of the elongateweight into the cylinder, thereby locking the locking end within thecylinder with the means for removably engaging the cylinder; d) graspingthe tennis racket handle of the elongate weight with a hand; and e)swinging the resilient ball and tennis racket handle in a fashionsimilar to a tennis racket.
 13. A method for exercising with an athleticapparatus, the method comprising the steps of: f) providing a resilientball having a cylinder fixedly and immobily engaged within the resilientball and extending across a diameter thereof, g) providing an elongateweight, each of the pair of elongate weights having a locking end and anextending end, the locking end having a means for removably engaging thecylinder, the extending end having a golf club handle being covered witha resilient gripping layer; h) inserting the locking end of the elongateweight into the cylinder, thereby locking the locking end within thecylinder with the means for removably engaging the cylinder; i) graspingthe golf club handle of the elongate weight with both hands; and j)swinging the golf club handle and the resilient ball in a fashionsimilar swinging a golf club.